Aircraft gun sight having adjustable transparent reflector means



Jan. 6, 1948. c. J. HARASTA AIRCRAFT GUN SIGHT HAVING ADJUSTABLE TRANS PARENT REFLECTOR MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 12, 1944 Jan. 6, 1948. c. .1. HARASTA I 2,434,109

AIRCRAFT GUN S IGHT HAVING ADJUSTABLE TRANSPARENT REFLECTOR MEANS Filed Aug. 12, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 6, 1948 513..

-- AIRCRAFT .GUN SIGHT HAVING ADJUST- ABLE TRANSPARENT REFLECTOR MEANS Claren'ce J. 'Harasta, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor l of twenty-five per cent to Robert M. Lynn, twenty-five per cent to Julia M. Lynn, and twenty-five percent to Mildred A. Harasta Application August 12, 1944; Serial No. 549,155

This invention relates to a gun sight of the type fixed to an aircraft for sighting guns which are also fixed to the aircraft.

A gun sight for use upon aircraft consists essen- 1 Claim. (01. ss-.-2.4)

. 2 length without either substantially increasing the bulk of the instrument or presenting hazardous projections to the operator. The gun sight of the'present invention will be more fully undertially of means for illuminating a reticle, means '5 stood from a description of the p efe ed o for focusing an image of said reticle at a considor e p of e invention, d or t purerable distance, and a transparent reflector or pose the preferred example of the invention is dividing plate positioned so as to reflect the image described n Connection W the accompanying of the reticle to the operator while the operator w n s i Which! is observing the target through the plate. For Fig. -1 i a p View; s hting purposes it is desirable to present a fairly Fig-a 2 is a side elevation; large image of the reticle to the vision of the Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section taken on operator. Because of the space requirements in the line of d aircraft design, itis desirabm th t th g Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section substantially sights be constructed as compactly as possible. 0n the line f Another important prerequisite of the gunsights Referring to the drawings, the instrument of is that they be formed so'as'to present a inimu the present invention comprises a mounting plate of the type of surfaces which might cause injury member 2 p d With a suitable Opening 3 to the operator on contact therewith, by means of which the instrument may be sup- The gun sights designed for aircraft previous ported on the aircraft. The mounting member to the present invention have either had the dis- 2 extends laterally from a lens housing 4 which advantage of being unsatisfactory because of Contains a lens system Somewhat diagrammatitheir bulk or have placed severe requirements on Cally indicated at the difieieht lenses of the the lens systems to be employed in the gun sights, system being supported by rings 5 and for because of the very short focal length and large justment of their relative positions in the housaperture ratio necessary in a compact instrument. s The housing 4 is provided W a lateral It is the general object of the present invention Opening 8 into Which is threaded a ring 9 to provide a gun sight characterized by the fact porting the reticle In, an image of which is to be that the focal length of the lens system of the focused y th l ys m at aremote point from gun sight may be substantially increased without the sig t, usually a number of thousand feet in a corresponding increase in the overall size or advance of the aircraft The reticle in is bulk of the instrument. mounted at right angles to the axis of the Another object of the present invention is to lens System 5 and a reflector ii is mounted so construct the gun sight as to present a mini- Within the base of e housing 4 011 a pmum of objectionable projections hazardous to illg Wall thereof- The reflector H Should t Operator. be accurately disposed at a 45 angle with respect These objects are accomplished in the gun sight to the axis of the lens system and f j t g of the present invention by including a mirror the position of the reflector II it is mounted in the lens housing and disposing the reticle and up n a p t 3 tw d y fr m t a t n wa lamp for illuminating the reticle at an angle 40 W of the housing y pills i4 and Contacting relative to the axis of the lens system. In this adjustin screws l5, three or more of which manner the length of the apparatus is shortened are Preferably provided at q y spaced and the bulk of the apparatus not substantially ellmfelel'ltiel Positionsincreased since the lamp and reticle mounting A transparent plate It; mounted at a angle housing are disposed underneath the mounting 45 is provided over the top of'the lens system and fixtures of the sight. serves the double purpose of permitting the op- Means are provided for suspending the lamp in erator to observe the intended target through a vertical position and the socket for the lamp the plate l6 while viewing t image s r c is arranged to fit within the recesses or openings by the plate to him. The transparent plate or provided in the mounting plate of the sight and 5 reflector I6 is mounted by screws I! on an extentherefore are buried from possible contact by the sion l8 of an arm I 9. The arm I9 is mounted p ato for adjustment on a rod 20 supported by ears 2| By these improvements in gun sights, I have extending from the housing 4. For assisting in provided an instrument which permits the use stabilizing the position of the reflector I6 lockof the lens system having an increased focal screws 22 are indicated.

For accurate adjustment of the angle of the reflector it there is provided an adjusting means including the threaded member 23 screw-threaded into the mounting plate 2 at its lower end and at its upper end threaded within a sleeve 24 in an opening in the arm l9. Nuts 25 and 26 are provided and two difierent pitch threads may be included in the adjusting means in order to secure a very fine or micrometer adjustment of the position of the reflector I6.

For illuminating the reticle l there is provided an incandescent lamp 2! suspended in a vertical position at one side of the lens housing 4. This lamp 2'! is enclosed within a lamp housing 28 attached to the housing 4 in any suitable manner, not shown. The lamp housing 28 is pivoted to a lamp socket 29, as indicated at 30, and a said lamp socket extends upwardly through an aperture 3| in the mounting plate, designed to permit the socket to be hidden under the arm l9 and within the mounting plate 2 from any accidental contact therewith by the operator. The housing 28 is provided with an extension 32 forming a housing for a switch 33 and outlets 34 for lead cables to the lamp 21.

The gun sight of the present invention achieves substantial increase in the focal length jects of the present invention, it is to be understood that Various modifications and changes may be made, and this invention is of the scope set forth in the appended claim.

I claim:

A gun sight for an aircraft, comprising a holder for a lens system, said lens system having a vertical axis, a supporting plate attached to said holder and having an aperture, an arm pivoted to said holder and supporting a transparent refiector plate over said lens system, said arm having a portion'extending above and spaced from said mounting plate, adjusting means engaging said mounting plate and said extension in said arm for adjusting the angular position of said arm, a lamp housing including a lamp-holding socket positioned for mounting the lamp suspend- REFERENCES orrsp The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,367,207 Flint Jan. 16, 1945 2,379,167 Lynn June 26, 1945 2,377,797 MacGill June 5, 1945 2,354,720 Wagner Aug. 1, 1944 2,284,150

Kemna May 26, 1942 

